DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 December 1923, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

[nr rixEcitArir —run j>i>.ess association.] MILL OWNER’S THOUGHTFUL ACT. WELLINGTON. Dee. IS. TTie .Mayor lias received a letter from a mill-owner in a small .Massachusetts town, stating that a ring was found in. n hale of X.Z. wool at. the Paeifie Mills. Lawrence, ft is signed with an inscription and the writer thought that hi- letter might help to find the owner as the ring appeared to he a keepsake. A LIFT’ TRACED)'. WELLINGTON. Dei. 17. An accident took place in the Accountancy Chambers here tiiis' evening, resulting in th" death of Gordon Stanley Vance, aged 18 years. Vance was employed by Watkins. Hall. Hunt and Wheeler, accountants. lie entered an automatic lift with another lad, to proceed to an upper Hour. What exactly happened is not clear, hut as the cage passed the ceiling of tin' ground floor, Vance, who had his hack to til" door, lost his balance, fell out, and became jammed between the lift floor and the wall, death being instantaneous. The body was extricated with difficulty. The other occupant of r.he lift was not in a lit state to lie examined. The lift is supposed to be unworkable if the cage door is open. TOUR OF THE COAST'. WELLINGTON BUSINESS MEN. WELLINGTON. Dee. 17. Directly after Xmas, a party of Wellington business men, numbering from 12 to 10, organised bv Mr A. Leigh limit, including Messrs X. Elmslie, (11.. M. Trade Commissioner), and .1. .Myers (President of tin- Wellington Chamber of Commerce) propose leaving the city for a visit to the West Const. They will journey over to Nelson and travel via Duller Gorge to Greyniouth. We-iport and Hokitika. and on to tin* Fran;: Jose! Glacier. returning via the Otira I uiinel. The object of the trip is three-fold: Firstly, to inspect tin- undeveloped resources of the Coast in the way ol coal. iron, cement, and other minerals, timber, etc.; secondly to cultivate a closer trade relation with Wellington, and thirly. to spend a very enjoyable holiday.

Since the opening <1 direct cumniunieatiou between the West- Coast and Christchurch, a good deal ot trade that used to lie done with Melhngtoii ha- 1-Mii going t<> tin' City of the Plains, it is thought, that a per-onai visit by prominent Wellington business men will renew the bu-iuess relationships that have b.'ioi showing a tendency to migrate to Christchurch. The Chambers of CeCnmeree. Progress Leagues. ami local bodies on the Coast are undertaking io arrange an itinerary and provide entertainment for tb - ■*lsite!*- in the twirtiiv districts. An enjoyable and profitable time is anticipated.

AN APPOINTMENT. CHRISTCHURCH. Dee. 17 Rev Dr Geaiiev lias been appointed Rector of St. Bede’s College in Christchurch. in place id the B. v I* at tier Graham, who is detained in Europe. For the past ten year- Dr tL-ancy has been on the .-tall" of St. Mary’s Seminary at Greenmeadnws, Hawke’s Bay. A WARNING. ( IIRISTCIH lull. Dee. 15 Tiie Licensing Committee of the X.Z. Trotting Association drew attention at the meeting yesterday to two eases in which men with bad police records had been recommended lor licenses. It was decided to issue a circular to Club-, emphasising the necessity ol exercising great care before recommending applications. BISII AND GRASS FI I! FS. GISBORNE, Dee. IS Bush and glass lives have laiised much damage in different, parts ot the district and some settlers had a trying tina' lighting Cue (ires, "iideni ourilig to save property. There wen* three distinct tires emivyuging toward one point raging in Matawai district. At Elmer’s station on Rolu \ alley mad, a wool slu'd with eighteen hales of wool, also a whare were destroyed. The recently built Tloinebrook school was burned down. At Williams homestead a small house, wool shed, wool and shearing plant was destroyed. Tht lives are abating at Wharoratn. A small house owned by T’ietiii n was

The damage done on the coast especially within a twenty miles radius of Tokomnru is extensive. Anxietv regarding oil" area in Matawai district was relieved to-day wlmn a uiossoriger got. through with the news Hull no serious damage was done there. The latest report from Tokomnru states th" gale ha dropped and Ihe fires have abated. EDUCATION BOARD 8 EUR ETA RV. (.Til* ISTUH I'l’C'H , Dee. .18 Mr 11. : . Lane. .Secretary or the ( anlerhuty Education Board -inee |sf)s. has decided to retire, having completed 31 years’ service in the employ of the Board. DAIRY CONTROL HOARD ELECTION. TE AWA.MUTU. Dee. 18 The Dominion I’residenf of the Dairy Fat mors’ Union, Mr ('. Barker. Labeen advised that only two out ol .‘>s suppliers to the Makorari (Manawata) Dairy Company received lialhd papers for the Control Board election, despite the fact that they all \oted on the Jir-t referendum: The Chairman of the Company, who nominated two candidates, was told later that hi- name doe- not appear on any roll and hen:

ask- why he was accepted as a nominator hut his protest to the Minister and returning officer was not rnteriained. Thorough dissatisfaction prevails amongst the suppliers. Mr Parker al-n received advice lb’s morning from it. Cobbo that his sernlincer informs him that large Mocks of votes from the north were found n: the first few ballot boxes all obviously marked bv the same agency. M.r Parker adds that thc.-e complaint' and the allegations demand an investigation so ; ,s to remove any suspicion or doubt. NEW HEBRIDES II EBB ICANE. AUCKLAND. Doc. IS. The Rev. Giulney. who returned from the New Hebiides in the Southern tios- to-day. states that a hurricane -truck tiir group on the second of Down! her. devastating the eocoaniit. yam and banana plantations. Many cutters were wasln'd ashore and two native hoys l,i-l their lives. Arrangements for relief were made at Vila. the commercial «litre of the group. Native lints wore levoned in all directions and Rev. Teal'’- home was blown down, while niotnitainou.s seas washed the islands’ shores and branches of trees whirled in the air like straws. BUSH FIRES. WAIROA 1t.8.) Dee. I>. The hot dry weather continues. 13ush fires have been raging in the outlying parts of the district the last two days, being exceptionally severe in Ruakituri Valley, where much tend tg was destroyed and numbers of sheep burned. Several residences and wool* sped* narrowly Escaped. The exact Josses cannot bo ascertained until the fpsg gayp died down,